[Oh dear.]
The Nostalgia Candy that was in my hand suddenly disappeared.
“…!”
[My goodness! Roe Deer, were you substituting meals with candy?!]
“Haha….”
[That’s no good at all!]
The disappeared Nostalgia Candy reappeared, as if by magic, in Braun’s gloved hand, only to vanish again with another flourish.
…Completely, gone.
“…….”
Ah, was I supposed to applaud?
Clap, clap, clap…
As I clapped my hands together, Braun bowed like a magician.
“Uh, where’s my candy…?”
[Roe Deer, your first meal in a month, and you choose a candy so old you don’t even remember when you bought it?! Oh, this is an insult to catering services everywhere!]
Snap.
The host snapped his fingers.
[Some say that creative passion comes from hunger… but my standards are a little different!]
[First, let’s have a proper meal.]
At the host’s request, faceless staff members opened the door to my dressing room and greeted me cheerfully.
Then, a white tablecloth was spread over a table in the corner of the room, and food was placed on it in perfect coordination.
Western-style dishes, steaming hot, filled the table.
A full-course meal, the kind that should be served dish by dish, was placed on the table all at once.
[Since you didn’t make any requests, I, Braun, have carefully selected today’s menu.]
[Now, after this meal, you’ll feel energized….]
“…….”
…It suddenly dawned on me that it had been a long time since I had seen warm food.
The host, seated across from me, displayed a smiling emoji on his TV-screen face while waving utensils in both hands.
Bon appetit!!
…Somehow, the surroundings felt dark.
It seemed like the spotlight was focused solely on the meal at the table….
Sparkle.
My silver ring gleamed in the table’s light for a moment before fading against the reflection of the fork.
“…….”
I hesitated for a moment before picking up the utensils.
But as I was trying to decide what to eat….
[As for the drink… Ah, Noru. You said you liked grapes, didn’t you?]
“……!”
With a flick of the host’s hand, a curved glass bottle filled with ruby-red liquid landed on the table.
A wine bottle.
[This is a very fine wine. I received it as a gift while hosting a quiz show, and now, I’ve decided to open it to celebrate my friend’s successful debut….]
Absentmindedly, I read the production year on the bottle. A 1999 vintage.
That was the release year of the ‘Happy Ending Teddy Bear’ edition I had invited as a guest.
“…Did you match the year with this episode’s guest on purpose?”
[Ah, it’s always a delight when a guest catches the subtle details. You’re absolutely right!]
[I prepared this to celebrate. After all, it was your debut performance!]
The host personally opened the wine bottle.
Then, the ruby-red liquid rippled into the glass and was placed before me.
[Now… shall we have a toast?]
……Hmm.
At this point, refusing to drink would be odd, yet somehow, while my appetite had returned, my motivation hadn’t.
I picked up the glass of poured wine….
And drank.
……
“It’s good.”
[Isn’t it? Please, enjoy it at your leisure….]
“Yeah.”
I picked up the utensils.
“…….”
The meal continued.
Somehow, the more I ate and drank, the clearer my mind became.
As if nutrients were entering an exhausted body… No, this wasn’t just a metaphor—it was exactly what was happening.
‘I thought I was in good condition.’
Maybe I was more exhausted than I realized.
…….
…No, wait a second!
‘If I haven’t eaten for a month, of course, I’d feel this way!’
Logically, how could a human survive a whole month without food and still be fine?
‘I should have been dead.’
My god. Did I seriously only just realize this now?
[Hmm? Roe Deer, is there something wrong with the food?]
“No. That’s not it.”
I continued eating.
The more I ate, the sharper my thoughts became.
‘It seems I wasn’t completely contaminated by this darkness, but I was definitely affected to some extent.’
I must have been in a daze.
Even after coming here, I had been blindly throwing myself into work.
Was I just too excited about not feeling afraid anymore…? Anyway.
‘I should check something.’
I reached into my tattoo to take out another candy but hesitated, feeling reluctant to waste it.
I also needed the great host’s permission.
“Braun, can you give me back the candy you took earlier?”
[Hmm?]
“I already had my meal, so I thought I’d have a little snack.”
[Oh… I see. Understood.]
Braun placed the candy back into my palm.
Nostalgia Candy.
[Here you go, Sol-eum!]
Now, I remembered it clearly.
‘Eating this candy restores your body to its peak condition from the past ten years.’
This was how I managed to endure life at Sekwang Technical High School.
‘Alright.’
I tossed the candy into my mouth.
…….
Hmm.
‘Nothing’s changing?’
I just… feel like I’ve been double-checked and shot down.
‘So this means… my current state is already at its peak.’
They say stress is the root of all illnesses—maybe it really is important to do work that suits you.
From now on… I should stop skipping meals just to work….
Even though working at this supernatural talk show made it seem like skipping meals had no consequences, it clearly did.
‘Come to think of it, working nonstop was kind of strange too.’
I set down my empty wine glass and spoke seriously.
“Braun. No matter how I think about it, I have to bring this up….”
[Hmm?]
“My work contract. Shouldn’t we discuss things like vacation days and salary?”
[Oh… Sol-eum.]
Braun looked at me with a somewhat reluctant expression, and the emoji on his TV-screen face rubbed its forehead.
[Of course, my show’s crew members are guaranteed sufficient vacation days and silver coins…. I’m baffled as to what kind of explanation you received on your first day.]
W-was that so?
‘Was I not in my right mind because I hadn’t been eating?’
Now that I thought about it, my memories of my first few days working here were hazy.
I even seemed to have lost all the belongings I used at Daydream Corporation…. This is insane.
“Sorry. But I’d still like to negotiate my working conditions now.”
[Of course, Roe Deer!]
With a full stomach and a clear mind, I fiercely negotiated with the host and finalized my work contract.
Two days off per week, summer and winter vacation, fifty silver coins per cycle, and a performance-based bonus every six months….
Hmm. Not bad.
[Then, let’s have you sign the contract before the end of this week!]
“Alright.”
[Now, you’ll be officially working on the talk show. Oh, right. I also had a surprise idea while running today’s live broadcast!]
[I was going to bring it up when I visited your dressing room, but I was so shocked by the sight of you popping candy into your empty stomach after a month of fasting that I completely forgot! My goodness!]
“Haha… Uh. Sorry. What is it?”
Braun pointed at my forearm with his gloved hand.
[I’m talking about your tattoos, Roe Deer.]
Ah.
I lifted my arm and looked at the inscriptions.
[Why don’t we just remove them entirely?]
“…….”
[Think about it. It’s a chance to save time and free yourself from unnecessary constraints….]
“Wait a second.”
[‘Wait a second’? Ah, is something bothering you?]
“These tattoos have been useful in many ways.”
[Hahaha! I thought it was something serious!]
[That was back when you worked at that dreadful, joyless company with terrible conditions.]
[Sol-eum, you’re now part of this incredible talk show! You’ll be treated well wherever you go. You can even get free sundae ice cream at boutiques. Come on, let’s wipe away these messy little scribbles for good.]
Hmm.
“But still… I feel like I could use them in interesting ways.”
Especially the inventory tattoo.
‘I could even use it creatively during the talk show.’
Like pulling something out of my arm like a magic trick to surprise the audience. Even if I’m not on stage, I could help the staff move props or lights in an emergency.
“Why should I get rid of an ability I already have? I just don’t see the logic.”
[Hmm.]
The host clasped his hands together.
[Ah, Sol-eum. Now that you’ve eaten and regained energy, you’re showing a stronger sense of self… I like it!]
[Alright, I’ll look into this. I’ll find something that can give you a very similar effect.]
[You even want to incorporate magic tricks! Such passion—it’s truly inspiring. Haha!]
An emoji wiping away tears appeared on Braun’s TV screen.
[Well then, enjoy the rest of your break, my friend!]
“Alright. Thanks.”
The host made sure the catering staff had cleaned up the meal remnants in my dressing room before waving and stepping out.
“Phew.”
I sat down on the couch.
I wasn’t appearing in the next talk show, and the guest invitations and production meetings for this week were already finished, so I had some free time.
‘Then, I guess I should sort some things out.’
Since I might have to erase my tattoos, it wouldn’t hurt to organize the items inside them first.
I reached into my inventory tattoo, pulling out various items and laying them out on the table.
‘Most of them are still intact.’
I picked up a small, black button.
…Deputy Manager Eun Hajae’s communication button.
‘Could this be what Team Leader Lee Jaheon was talking about?’
I smiled and kept the button.
I also spotted a red button.
“We Help!” - ₩66,666,666
I absentmindedly placed it on the table.
‘Almost done.’
There was almost nothing left in my tattoo… Ah, there was one more thing.
A paper bag featuring a theme park mascot slipped out of the tattoo.
Inside the bag was a dragon-shaped churro.
[Blue Soda Churros]
Wow.
‘I have no idea how long this has been in there.’
Didn’t I sell one to a disaster management agent and keep the other?
Since it was stored in my inventory tattoo, it didn’t seem spoiled.
I was about to place it on the table… but a strange feeling made me examine it.
The text I couldn’t read before was now legible.
Exquisite Taste
A Healthy Snack for Children
A healthy snack, huh?
‘…Is it safe to eat?’
Because, well, the host said I could eat candy.
And he told me to take care of my meals!
‘If I erase my tattoo, it might spoil, so maybe I should just eat it now.’
It would be a waste otherwise.
‘Alright.’
I put the churro in my mouth.
As I chewed, it popped in my mouth like cheap candy, and then slid down my throat….
And then.
And then…….
“~~!!”
Something surged up from my throat.
Splurt.
Dark blue water gushed out of my mouth, the very place where I had swallowed the churro.
The salty scent of seawater filled the air.
“…!! ~!!”
Seawater completely filled my throat and mouth, spilling wildly onto the talk show’s dressing room floor.
I—I can’t breathe!
I can’t breathe!
‘W-what the….’
What kind of “healthy snack” is this, f—… No! I shouldn’t curse! But in this situation, what the hell am I supposed to do…?
Ah, no. Is the oxygen thinning? My consciousness is fading. I—I’m dying…….
…….
‘That thing.’
We Help.
I barely managed to lift my hand onto the table.
I frantically rummaged through my scattered belongings, and the moment my hand touched the red button—
“~!!”
I slammed my arm against the table and pressed the button like a madman.
Now, seawater was pouring out of my eyes, nose, and ears.
‘S-save me….’
And then.
Piiiiiiiiik!
A deafening alarm blared inside my head…….
Emergency Call Completed
My mind bounced out.
***
“ – Supervisor Kim Sol-eum.”
"……."
“ – Supervisor Kim Sol-eum.”
"Huh…!!"
Damn it!
I was so startled that I jumped up.
No, I thought I had woken up…
The surroundings were dark.
……
I couldn't see anything. No, I couldn’t feel anything.
No sense of touch. No sense of smell, no hearing!
Nothing! There was nothing…
“ – Have you awakened?”
“…!!”
A familiar voice echoed in my head.
That was…
“…Team Leader Lee Jaheon?”
“ –Yes.”
At that moment.
Boom!!
The world trembles.
‘W-what is this?!’
“ – Please wait a moment.”
And then, a few seconds later.
Suddenly, my vision cleared.
My dressing room, half-filled with water—the last scene I saw before losing consciousness.
But I wasn’t seeing it directly.
It felt as if… I was peering through someone else’s eyes, like watching a CCTV screen floating in front of me.
“……!”
The vision on the screen checked its own limbs.
Between the wrist, my tattoo was visible.
…It was me.
Someone else is controlling my body!
“ – I will proceed with the movement.”
And then, the vision began to move.
H-huh?!
‘Wait, could this be…’
“W-wait a moment. Team LeadeLeader, are you the one moving my body right now?”
“ – Yes.”
I swallowed nervously.
“……Did you get summoned by the ‘We Help’ button?”
“ – Yes.”
“……”
Wait.
Wait a second!
Are you telling me that Team Leader Lee Jaheon was summoned… by the ‘We Help’ button sold in an Alien Shop?!
“Team Leader.”
I swallowed again.
"…By any chance, are you an alien from an Intergalactic Shopping Mall?"
“ – ? Yes.”
Aaaaaaaaah!!
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